Yuan Zun didn't know what Chen Nan was up to.
But he was willing to trust Chen Nan.
Believing he was not a reckless, brainless fool.
Since he dared to escort Liu Zhiyuan and his son here.
He must have caught them red-handed.
Thinking of this, he resolutely stood up and said, "To the county office!"
------
The County Office.
"Yuan Zun, get out here quickly!" Liu Zhiyuan roared the moment he entered the county office.
Yuan Zun, wearing official robes, sat upright beneath the "Bright Mirror, High Suspended" plaque, his face full of authority.
However.
No one noticed the glint of coldness in the depths of his eyes.
As the City Lord of Tongcheng.
Everyone respected him greatly.
But only the Wenbohou family didn't take him seriously, even calling him by his name.
What's more, even Liu Yu, that uneducated dandy, dared to flout his authority in the street.
If not for his fear of the Liu family's hereditary nobility and their golden pardon.
Yuan Zun would have wiped out the Liu family long ago.
Although he disliked Liu Zhiyuan.
He still had to maintain proper etiquette.
He smiled and stood up, saying, "What wind blows Marquis to our humble abode?"
"Someone, quickly prepare a stool."
Liu Zhiyuan's expression was impassive. "No need! I'm here to file a complaint against your subordinate, the constable Chen Nan."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Yuan Zun's face.
He hadn't expected this old fellow to be so overbearing even at the yamen, completely disregarding his dignity.
He sat back in his armchair and asked, "May I know why Marquis Wenbo is filing a complaint against Constable Chen Nan?"
"Old man Yuan Zun, do you truly not know why we are complaining about Chen Nan?" Liu Qingfeng roared. "He murdered my son in the street, and not only that, he brought people to my Liu residence to arrest my son and me."
"Tell me, did you authorize him to do this?"
"Such a thing has happened?" Yuan Zun exclaimed in surprise, then said, "Who is Chen Nan?"
Chen Nan stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Reporting to your excellency, it is indeed your humble servant."
Yuan Zun's expression was unreadable. "Is what Clan Leader Liu said earlier the truth?"
Chen Nan: "Reporting to your excellency, what Clan Leader Liu said is not entirely correct."
Yuan Zun frowned. "Is it correct or not?"
Chen Nan said, "This humble servant did indeed behead Liu Yu in the street."
"But there was a reason."
"Today, we were patrolling the streets with Captain Wu and encountered Young Master Liu Yu of the Liu family."
"This person was committing assault in the street, and we stopped him."
"However, Liu Yu was arrogant and disrespectful of the imperial laws, even attempting to kill Captain Wu."
"Furthermore, he boasted that the Liu family was the law in Tongcheng."
"This humble servant, in order to protect Captain Wu."
"And to uphold the imperial laws, beheaded Liu Yu in the street."
Hearing this.
Yuan Zun's face turned stern, showing displeasure. "Wu Jiu is an accredited yin messenger of the court. Killing a yin messenger in the street is suspected of rebellion."
Liu Zhiyuan paused his cane tapping. "He was merely gravely injured, his life was not taken."
Yuan Zun inclined towards Chen Nan.
This was something they hadn't anticipated.
It was not a good omen for the Liu family.
Chen Nan retorted, "If I hadn't beheaded Liu Yu, do you think Captain Wu would still be alive?"
Liu Qingfeng growled, "Let alone the fact that my son only gravely injured Wu Jiu, even if he had killed him, so what? Our Liu family has the golden pardon."
"I'm sorry," Chen Nan said. "When I beheaded him, he didn't mention the Liu family's golden pardon, nor did he produce it."
Yuan Zun was relieved, his tone laced with a hint of regret. "The golden pardon can indeed exempt one from capital punishment, but your young master did not produce it at the time. This is truly regrettable."
Chen Nan said, "City Lord, please rest assured, my blade was swift, and Master Liu felt no pain."
Yuan Zun nodded with satisfaction. "That is good."
His face was calm.
But inwardly, he was thoroughly entertained.
This fellow Chen Nan was truly skilled and daring, saying his blade was swift right in front of Liu Zhiyuan and Liu Qingfeng.
Liu Zhiyuan's eyes flashed with coldness, and he gritted his teeth. "Old man Yuan Zun, what do you mean by this?"
"Are you going to protect this petty constable?"
"Is it worth falling out with my Liu family for a mere constable?"
Yuan Zun shook his head dismissively. "What Chen Nan did was to uphold the iron laws of the court, protect the nation and the empire, and serve the common people. He is a pillar of our netherworld!"
"Nonsense!" Liu Zhiyuan roared. "He killed my grandson, that is a capital offense!"
Yuan Zun: "But it was precisely Young Master Liu who attempted to murder a yin messenger in the street and showed contempt for the imperial laws."
"Chen Nan was merely fulfilling his duty as a constable!"
"He is a meritorious official, what crime has he committed?"
A fierce killing intent flashed in Liu Zhiyuan's eyes. He hadn't expected Yuan Zun to fully protect Chen Nan.
If that were the case.
Even the Liu family couldn't directly eliminate Chen Nan.
This would be a complete loss of face for the Liu family.
After all.
They had always been the rulers of Tongcheng.
Just then.
Chen Nan's voice rang out again. "Your excellency, according to the laws of the netherworld, killing a yin messenger is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of relatives. Liu Yu attempted to murder a yin messenger in the street and uttered arrogant words, showing contempt for the imperial laws."
"This humble servant has apprehended Liu Zhiyuan and Liu Qingfeng in accordance with the law. I request your excellency to punish them!"
Yuan Zun asked, puzzled. "In other words, you are the plaintiff, not the defendant?"
Chen Nan: "Yes!"
Liu Qingfeng let out a disdainful laugh. "Ignorant brat, our Liu family possesses the golden pardon."
"Even the prefect of Guangling Prefecture, the Minister of Dali Temple, and even the Ten Kings of Hell cannot punish us!"
"A mere Yuan Zun, ask him if he dares to punish our Liu family?"
A strong killing intent rose within Yuan Zun.
The Liu family truly didn't take him seriously.
Completely disregarding his dignity.
Chen Nan said, "Everyone knows your Liu family has a golden pardon."
"But who knows if the golden pardon you hold is genuine or fake?"
"If City Lord Yuan has inspected it and confirmed that your golden pardon is real."
"Then naturally, no one can punish you."
"Conversely, you will face the death penalty of the extermination of nine generations of relatives!"
"Then let this old man show you." Liu Zhiyuan coldly snorted, then opened the brocade box and took out the golden, shining golden pardon.
Upon seeing this scene.
Many people knelt on the ground.
This was out of respect for the Great Emperor of Fengdu.
Seeing the golden pardon was like seeing the Great Emperor himself.
Upon seeing the golden pardon, Yuan Zun quickly stood up and went before Liu Zhiyuan, taking the golden pardon with both hands and examining it carefully.
He first looked at the front and back, then weighed the heft of the golden pardon.
A look of suspicion appeared on his face.
Liu Zhiyuan said impatiently, "As a fifth-rank yin messenger of the netherworld, you should be able to discern the authenticity of this golden pardon, shouldn't you?"
Yuan Zun couldn't help but ask, "Marquis, is this golden pardon truly from your Liu family?"
Liu Qingfeng sneered repeatedly. "Nonsense, if it's not from our Liu family, is it from your Yuan family?"
A hint of manic laughter appeared on Yuan Zun's face. He roared at the yamen runners on either side. "Guards, seize these father and son, throw them into the death row, and execute them at the marketplace in three days!"
Liu Zhiyuan flew into a rage. "Old man Yuan Zun, what do you mean by this?"